Interview: Meet The Blind CEO Who Is Helping Companies Become More Inclusive
Trying to get your foot in the door in the corporate world as a Black woman isn’t easy. This becomes way more difficult when you’re also disabled. In 2023, the employment rate for people with disabilities in the US reached just 22.5%, and the numbers are even lower in tech. A global AWS community survey found that only 11% of respondents identified as having a disability or neurodiversity.
Additionally, the unemployment rate for disabled people is reportedly twice as high as that of the general population, even though companies that are inclusive of people with disabilities are considered more financially successful.
It’s why Kamille Richardson, a blind CEO, founded iSee Technologies with her sister Lakila Bowden in 2019, after years of professional rejection. Today, the company is on track to hit seven figures and has become a trusted partner for Fortune 500 companies like Disney, Kraft Heinz, and BASF, helping them foster workplace wellness and inclusion.
For Blindness Awareness Month, POCIT sat down with Richardson to discuss her early career setbacks, what it’s like to navigate the workplace as a disabled professional, and the three “blind spots” that keep companies from unlocking the full potential of a disabled workforce.
Dealing with job rejections as a disabled woman
After graduating with a degree in media and communications from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Richardson was ready to enter the corporate world. But it turns out the corporate world was not prepared for her.
“When I started my early career search, it was filled with a lot of rejection, and a lot of times I would show up to the interview, ready to rock and roll, and they would see me, and they would see that white cane in my hand, and that temperature would drop about 20 degrees,” she told POCIT.
After repeated rejections took a toll on her confidence, Richardson shifted gears and became a licensed massage therapist and assistive technology trainer. “I was teaching blind people how to use their phones, the screen-reading software on their phones and their computers, and whatnot. I did that so that people could learn how to become more connected with the world around them, and they could regain their independence and possibly gain gainful employment.”
As she worked with her clients, Richardson noticed that many faced the same barriers she had. That realization inspired her to create iSee Technologies, a company dedicated to helping organizations dismantle those barriers.
Helping companies become more inclusive
Today, through iSee Technologies, Richardson and her team help companies create accessible workplaces and inclusive cultures. She also tours as a keynote speaker, giving a talk titled The Magic of Being Differently Disabled.
“I talk about how disability inclusion will net you 28% higher profit and double the net income,” she tells POCIT.
One of the biggest misconceptions she confronts is that accessibility is costly. “Fifty-nine percent of the accommodations people with disabilities need don’t cost a thing,” she noted. “And the other 41% cost less than $500.”
Accessibility is an investment, not an expense.
The three blind spots
Richardson identifies three “blind spots” that can transform how organizations think about disability inclusion:
- Disabled Talent is a Competitive Advantage. Companies that champion disability inclusion achieve, on average, 1.6 times more revenue and 2.6 times more net income than their peers who lag in inclusive hiring.
- Ignoring Your Audience/Be a Corporate Hero. One in four Americans (28.7%) lives with a disability, and together, they have $18 trillion in total spending power. Demonstrating inclusive values yields loyal customers and attracts talent.
- Ignoring Disability. While some disabilities are obvious, some are not as easily detected. Depending on how an employer manages disability, employees may feel like they have to mask their disability, which takes a serious toll. Studies of autistic adults found that masking leads to loss of identity, burnout, and even delayed diagnosis. If employees can maintain high psychological safety at work, they engage more, report less absenteeism, and experience greater innovation (Journal of Business Psychology).
Richardson’s mission is clear: to help companies see beyond the stereotypes and discover the immense value of inclusion.
Image: Kamille Richardson
